WWE
Following WWE's landmark move of RAW to Netflix in 2025 and its overall multi-platform domination, WWE has grown from being a sports entertainment company to a giant global content engine. While 17-time World Champion John Cena's retirement tour was a major narrative thread in WWE last year, the planned retirement of AJ Styles is this year's major focus, not only in WWE but in the industry in general, as his success has spanned the wrestling scene with him becoming a two-time former WWE Champion, a WWE Grand Slam Champion, a two-time former TNA World Champion, and a two-time former IWGP Heavyweight Champion.
AEW
AEW enters 2026 with a secured presence on the Warner Bros. Discovery networks. Following the recent split of WBD into specialized global networks and streaming divisions, Tony Khan’s company has successfully integrated into both, with the new agreement valued at approximately $185 million annually. While Dynamite and Collision remain features of TBS and TNT, Max is a centralized hub for AEW weekly programming and PPVs in the US. In addition, Prime Video continues to provide a massive distribution platform by airing AEW weekly programming, as well as PPVs for fans in the United States, Canada, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
WOW - Women Of Wrestling
The most exciting for WOW coming into 2026 is the success of its residency model. The Las Vegas “Fights At Fremont Street Experience” has been offering a high-spectacle, outdoor atmosphere that captures the energy of Las Vegas tourists, and by staying anchored in a high-traffic tourist destination, combined with the Florida expansion that is slated for 2027 and will provide a studio-style environment, WOW creates a year-round content cycle that is both high-impact in terms of visibility and low-travel for talent, while also simultaneously reaching 100% of US markets through syndication and keeping overhead anchored to three locations (Las Vegas, Florida, and the company's Los Angeles home base), insulating itself against the unpredictability of the travel and of the touring industry, as WOW rewrites the wrestling branding blueprint. In addition, WOW can be seen on two free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channels: Tubi in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, and several Latin American countries (Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Panama), and Wrestling Central in North America.
TNA
TNA has seen a huge resurgence, recently moving Thursday Night iMPACT! to AMC, an American cable television channel that is available in approximately 60 million U.S. pay-TV households. This deal is not only a significant financial boost as one of TNA's biggest TV agreements, but also provides potential TV exposure that it has not experienced in over a decade. Additionally, this move, combined with their "Mega On-Sale" events in cities like Nashville and Atlanta, is the fruit of TNA blending American and international talent, as well as its crossovers with NXT. It also benefits TNA when AJ Styles makes appearances as a guest from WWE, as he did when he returned to kick off the AMC era, as he is both a foundational cornerstone of TNA's past and a symbolic link to its future.
MLW
MLW is beginning 2026 in South Carolina, a state that the promotion is heavily invested in and moved its headquarters to in late 2025, where they plan to continue hosting events throughout the year, bringing creative, live event, and production jobs as they continue to establish a local presence in the Southeast. Featuring a mix of the American, Japanese, and lucha libre styles, as well as the feared CONTRA Unit faction, MLW maintains its reputation of being an actively ambitious promotion that is an alternative for fans as well as talent. Plus, 2026 marks the return of MLW Fusion, the promotion's weekly wrestling program.
NWA
With its rich history and legacy, the NWA continues its re-emergence under the leadership of Billy Corgan in 2026 as it appeals to longtime fans of traditional wrestling as well as a new generation of fans. Continuing to rebuild a territory system, promotions currently under its banner are NWA Southeast - JCP, NWA WLW (Missouri), NWA Kross Fire (Tennessee), Exodus Pro (Ohio), New Mexico DCCW, NWA Chicago, and NWA Texas. With the NWA acting in the role of a governing body, these united regional promotions provide a platform for local talent to showcase their skills under a nationally-recognized banner, helping to keep the old school spirit alive in the modern era. The NWA brand maintains its national presence via streaming hub Roku Sports.
The Las Vegas and Florida Independent Scenes
While WOW is in Las Vegas and NXT is in Florida on national stages, local promotions in both areas provide more intimate wrestling experiences, enabling more interaction between the wrestlers and fans. With both companies making Las Vegas and Florida wrestling capitals, independent promotions in those locations leverage that attention to draw fans to their own products. The Las Vegas-based promotions include Future Stars Of Wrestling, Big Valley Wrestling, Versus Pro Wrestling, and PODER~! Wrestling, while the Florida-based promotions include Pro Wrestling Vision and Coastal Championship Wrestling.
Girl Fight Wrestling
Indiana-based Girl Fight Wrestling is a very unique style of women's wrestling promotion. It has a localized atmosphere and features a wide variety of styles, including hardcore. Girl Fight Wrestling prioritizes the development of talent, and without the TV-focused environment of larger promotions where the visual experience of the viewer at home must take priority over the immediate reaction of the live audience, wrestlers at GFW events can connect with fans in attendance more easily. Also, with a roster smaller than larger promotions, there is a less competitive environment, allowing a wrestler's career to potentially grow faster, with them being in the main event of shows, as opposed to always being in the opening match or the midcard. The promotion is returning for a relaunch show this year that will include talent from AEW, TNA, the NWA, and WWE ID.
Whether it's by global availability, tourist destination residency, TV deal upgrades, old school territory-style, or focusing on the local community of fans, the 2026 US scene features companies that have found a way to connect with their individual audience and plan to make this year their best one yet.
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